Twelve days.
That’s the current countdown to Commencement, and the 91ÊÓƵ Community couldn’t be more excited.
This year’s Commencement will be big. It’s our first in-person celebration in three years. It’s the first time we’re bringing all our graduates, from all levels—and across our three campuses and six colleges and schools—together for one major event. And it’s the first time we’ll be celebrating three graduating classes, the remarkable classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The day will be an extraordinary celebration of our students—I’m hoping it’s a bright and sunny day, giving all of these amazing students the best opportunity to shine. College is always a challenging period, and graduate school even tougher, but these three classes have persevered through what is probably the most challenging period in all of our lifetimes. Graduating students, you are committed, you are resilient, and you’re about to walk across a stage and receive your diplomas. Congratulations. I couldn’t be prouder.
I want to salute the organizers, who have been working hard all year to plan this special day. I want to salute the faculty and staff who have guided these students through their studies. And I want to salute the parents, family, and friends who have supported them—especially over two years when support was so crucial and necessary.
I hope I’ll see many of you at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday, May 16, as we celebrate these graduates and their accomplishments. I’m pleased that we’ll have such a prominent group of speakers to help us celebrate that special day.
I can’t wait to see you there as we cheer on all our graduates.
From photography to nursing, Karen O’Connell ’26 found her calling in caring for others. Through 91ÊÓƵ’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, she discovered a supportive community, inspiring faculty, and invaluable hands-on clinical experiences that prepared her to turn her passion for helping underserved populations into a meaningful career.
From founding 91ÊÓƵ's ColorStack chapter to exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine, Zender Aurelien-Nikolai ’28 is making his mark at the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. Through faculty-led student research and his own leadership initiative, he's turning his passion for technology into opportunities to make a difference.
Through 91ÊÓƵ’s unique relationship with the United Nations, students are taking their education beyond the classroom and onto the global stage, advocating for human rights, engaging with international leaders, and gaining firsthand experience in shaping conversations that can change the world.